It has now been recognised that the excitatory amino acids, especially glutamate, play a crucial role in the physiological processes of neuronal plasticity and in the mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Pathophysiological studies have clearly shown that a deficit in glutamatergic neurotransmission is closely linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease (Neuroscience and Biobehavioral reviews, 1992, 16, 13-24; Progress in Neurobiology, 1992, 39, 517-545).
In addition, innumerable works have in recent years demonstrated the existence of sub-types of excitatory amino acid receptors and their functional interactions (Molecular Neuropharmacology, 1992, 2, 15-31).
Among those receptors, the AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid) receptor appears to be involved to the greatest extent in the phenomena of physiological neuronal excitability and, especially, in those phenomena involved in memorisation processes. For example, it has been shown that learning is associated with an increase in the binding of AMPA to its receptor in the hippocampus, one of the areas of the brain essential to processes of memory and cognition. Likewise, nootropic agents such as aniracetam have very recently been described as modulating the AMPA receptors of neuronal cells in a positive manner (Journal of Neurochemistry, 1992, 58, 1199-1204).